Internal-combustion engine



May 27, 1930. F. HJLJNDENBERG 1,750,073

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed Oct. 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l gvwentoz FrdnKHL Znderzbe/y May 27, 1930. F. H. LINDENBERG INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed 0012. 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Qwoen o1 Frankfillz'ndenbar y 1930. F. H. LINDENBERG 1,760,073

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed Oct. 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mmizmdezzbery Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES FRANK H. LINDENIBERG, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO mrnnnan-coivrsnsrron ENGINE Application filed October 15, 1927, Serial No. 226,469; Renewed November 19, 1929.

This invention relates generally to improvements in internal combustion engines and, with regard to the more specific features thereof, is directed particularly to an im- 5 proved valve mechanism adapted for use in connection with such engines, and wherein the valve mechanism is of such form as to include but a single head which is positioned vertically in one end of the explosion chamber and is operated in connection with yieldable valve seats for controlling both the inflow and outflow of the gases into and from the explosion chamber or chambers of the engine.

Among the objects of the invention are: The provision of a valve mechanism of simple and improved form designed especially for use in connection with internal combustion engines and wherein the single valve.

20 head or member is so formed as to be protected from the heat of the hot gases generated in the explosion chamber and the exhaust passage of the engine, the construction of the valve mechanism being such that the stem proper ofthe single valve head or memher will at no time be exposed directly to such heated gases, the stem portion of the valve being positioned in the intake passage of the engine and maintained in a relatively cool condition by the sweep of the incoming fresh liael mixtures; second, in the provision of a valve mechanism characterized by a silent operating property, and tree from the clatter and noise of the usual poppet type of valvewith rigid seat, which the valve mech anism herein most closely resembles; third, in the provision of a valve mechanism which will be convenient to assemble in its operating position within the engine and also capable of being readily and quickly deniounted and removed from association with the engine for replacement, adjustment or for grinding and carbon removing purposes; and fourth in a valve mechanism wherein maximum orifice area is afforded to facilitate the entrance and exhaust of the gases to and from the explosion chamber when a single valve structure is taken into consideration.

, lVhil'e the invention has been set forth as mi being particularly adapted for use in internal combustion engines, never-the-less in'certain of its aspects the invention is of broader scope and may find use in other fields such as in pumps, compressors and the like.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations of elements and arrangements of parts hereinafter to be more fully described and pointed broken away as shown in section to disclose interior structure, 7

Figure 4 isa transverse vertical section 0 the line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a similar view on the line 5-5 of Figure l,

Figure 6 is a "fragmentary vertical sectional view disclosing the valve operating mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the numeral 1 designates the cylinder structure of an internal combustion engine, the numeral 2 a piston slidably mounted within said cylinder structure and connected by means of a connecting rod3 with a'crank shaft 4, rotatably mounted as usual within the crank case 5 of the engine. Mounted upon the upper portion of the cylinder structure is a cylinder head 6, which is formed to include a dome shaped cavity 7 which forms-a part of the explosion chamber 8 of the cylinder structure above or to one end of the piston 2. The chamber 8 communicates by means of a substantially annular depression 9, formed in the head 6 with a longitudinally extending valve chamber 1O bored longitudinally through the cylinder head 6 from one side of the latter to the other. Communicating with this chamber on-opposite sides of the center line of the cylinder structure are gas inlet and exhaust passages 11 and 12 respectively, the former leading to the carburetter, not shown, of the engine and the latter to the atmosphere.

Mounted'for yieldable movement axially of the chamber 8 are longitudinally spaced inlet and exhaust sleeves 13 and 14 respectively, which have their adjacent end portions oppositely chamfered to produce opposed valve seats 15 and normally arranged to engage with both of these seats is the peripheral portion of the valve head 16. This head is positioned transversely of the chamber 8 and arranged substantially in the plane of the center line of the cylinder structure 1. The longitudinally extending stem 17 of the valve head is slidably received within a guide member 18, which is'securely fastened to one end of the head 6 so as to close that end of the chamber 10. A coil spring 19 engages with and surrounds the guide member 18, and the inner end of the spring 19 bears upon an annular shoulder 20 formed internally of the inlet sleeve 13, so that said sleeve will be forced inwardly by the spring 19 to engage with the peripheral portion of the valve head 16, as shown in Figure 1. v

The forward movement of the sleeve 13, in response to the influence of the spring 19, is limited by providing the outer end of the sleeve 13 with a flange 21 which is pressed inwardly by the spring 19 to engage with a yieldable abutment which in this instance has been shot n to consist of a strong coil spring wound in such manner as to possess but limited expansive movement but capable of strongly resisting compression, this latter spring is indicated by the numeral 22. Also, the sleeve 13 may be provided with one or more compression rings 23, so disposed as to engage the circular walls of the chamber 10, and which rings operate, in the usual manner, to prevent seepage of gas past the joints provided between the meeting surfaces of the sleeves 13 and the walls of the chamber 10. The sleeve 13in this instance is formed to inelude a plurality of longitudinally extending slots 24, which are adapted to register with the gas inlet passage or manifold 1.1 provided in the head 6. By means of a valve gear, hereinafter described, the valve head 16 may be a seating ring to the outer end of t wit-h the outer portion of the sleeve 14 is a rod 26, which is slidably received within a guide opening provided in a cap member 27 which is removably connected with and adapted to close the opposite side of the chamber 10 as regards the guide member 18. The outer ent of the rod 26 is in this instance slotted as at 28 for the reception of a cotter pin 29 which passes through openings provided in a box like extension 30 formed upon the cap memher 27. This cotter pin also serves to secure he extension 30. The extreme outer end of the rod is provided with a head 31, and the inward movement of the rod 26 and its associated sleeve 14 is limited by the engagement of the head 31 with the ring 30 Outward move ment of the sleeve 14 is limited by the engage ment of the outer portion of said sleeve 14 with a centering extension '32 formed with the member 27 and located in one end of the chamber 10. A coil spring 33 surrounds the rod 26 and is confined between a collar 34 fixed upon the outer end of the sleeve 14 and an annular shoulder 35 formed internally of the extension 30'. The normal action of the springs 33 is to maintain the inner portion of the sleeve 14 in engagement withthe peripheral portion of the valve head 16. Piston rings 36 are carried by the sleeve 14 and contact with the adjacent walls of the chamber 10 to prevent undue passage of gas between the walls of the sleeve 14 and the adjacent walls of the chamber 10.

To effect the timed operation of the valve mechanism described, the crank case 5 is provided with a cam shaft 37, driven in any suitable manner from the crankshaft 4. This shaft 37 is formed to include for each cylinder of the engine a pair of cams 38, fixed for rotation upon and with the cam shaft 37. Adjacent to the cam shaft 37 there is arranged within the crank case a rocker shaft 39. This shaft is provided with a pair of fixed arms 40 and 41, the former of which extending above and over the shaft 37, and the latter being arranged to extend downwardly to a point below the cam shaft. The outer ends of the arms 40 and 41 are provided with rollera 42, which are adapted to ride upon and engage with the irregularly formed periph eral surfaces of the cams 38, whereby as the cam shaft revolves the rocker shaft will be given a periodic oscillatory movement.

Connected rigidly with the arms 40 and 41 is a third arm 43 to the outer end of which is pivotally connected as at 44 the lower end of a vertically extending lift rod 45 which is adapted to be reciprocated by the oscillatory movement of the rocker shaft. The rod 45 extends upwardly through an opening 46' formed in the top of the crank case and has its upper end pivotally connected as at 47 with one arm of a bell crank lever 48 which is fixed for oscillatory motion about a pivotal If" I mama axis 49 and is supported by ears 50 extending laterally from the cylinder head structure. The upwardly extending arm of the bell crank lever terminates in a ball shaped head 51, which is receivable within an opening or slot 52 formed in the outer end of the valve stem 17. An adjusting screw 53 is carried by the extreme outer end of the stem 17 and cooperates with the head 51 to provide for positive operation on the part of the valve gear and to prevent looseness and rattle and to reduce friction.

In the operation of the above described engine, itwill be seen that when the piston 2 moves downwardly on its intake stroke the valve gearing operates to force the valve head 16 normally against the seat provided by the sleeve 14, and to move said sleeve in an out ward direction against the influence of the spring 33. It will be observed that the sleeve 13 can not follow the advancing valve head 16, since this movement is limited by engagementwith the abutment 22. This permits of the inflow of the fuel mirture by way of the passage 11, the sleeve 13 and thence by way of the annular port .9 into the cylinder head. The incoming gases contact with the stem and head of the valve 16 so as to effect the cooling thereof and to prevent the heat of the rigine from cracking, warping or detrimentally eiiecting the structure of the valve 16. Also a wide unrestricted fuel passage is provided which permits of relatively unrestricted flow of the fuel mixture into the explosion chamber of the cylinder structure. This inflow of fuel is continuous with the fuel inlet passages in open condition until the piston reaches substantially the bottom of its intake stroke, at which point the valve gear is operated to return the valve partto the normal position disclosed in Figure 1, enabling the piston to advance in an upward direction on its Compression stroke. Maximum compression can be obtained by reason of the fact that the valve sleeve 13 and 1 4 closely engage with the peripheral edge of the head 16, and also by use of the packing wings around the outer circumferential walls of the sleeves 13 and 14. During the firing stroke the valves also remain in their closed positions and upon the final up or exhaust stroke of the engine the valve gear operates to move the valve head 16 in an outw l direction together with the sleeve 13. This is accomplished against the resistance offered by the spring 19, and permits the valve head 16 to draw away from the peripheral inner edge of the exhaust sleeve 14. thereby permitting the spent or exhaust gases to flow from the explosion chamber by way of the passage in the exhaust sleeve 1% and thence through the exhaust conduit 12 leading from the engine.

In view of the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that the present invenoperating temperatures of the engine. In

the ordinary type of tappet valve the exhaust gases in leaving the cylinders, sweep around the valve stems of such valves and causethe latter to crack, wa'rpand deteriorate. This deleterious etfect'is eliminated in the present design, inasmuch as the stem 17 of the single valve used is subjected merely to convecte'd heat and is kept in a relatively co'ol condition by the incoming cool fuel charges, and in no instance is the valve stem proper exposed to the heat of the exhaust gases di'rei':tly. Again, the construction admits of the attainment of greater valve or orifice area than in the employment of a tap'pet valve of given head diameter, inasmuch as the operation of the yieldable sleeves permits of a full and complete opening of the ports leading to the cylinder heads and therefore provides for full and complete inflow and exhaust of gases to and from the engine cylinder. Other features provided by the invention are: Reduction in noise or, stated in another Way, silently operating valve mechanism. This has been very difficult to obtain in a tappet i type valve mechanism operating in the head of an engine and, finally, the provision of a valve mechanism of extremely simple design, capable of being readily demounted from its 0 3erating position .in the engine head for adjustment or valve grinding purposes.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be re sorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any advantages of this invention.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a cylinder structure including a head, said head being formed to include a transversely extending valve chamber, there being spaced inlet and exhaust passages provided in said head on opposite sides of said chamber, sleeves slidably mounted in said chamber, a valve member positioned transversely within said chamber and situated between the adjacent end of said sleeves, and operating means for said valve member, said means serving to operate said valve member to effect relative separation of said sleeve and to establish collectively communication between said cylinder and one or the other of said passages.

2. In an internal combustion vengine, in combination, a cylinder and a head at one end of said cylinder, said head being formed to include a valve chamber extending transversely thereof, there being spaced inlet and exhaust passages provided in said head and communicating with opposite sides of said i chamber, said head being also formed to inelude an intermediate passage for establishing communication between the center of said valve chamber and said cylinder, sleeves slidably mounted in the opposite sides of said chamber and positioned normally so that the adjacent inner ends thereof will close said intermediate passage, a valve member positioned transversely of said chamber and including a head and a longitudinally extending stem, the peripheral edge of the head be ing engaged normally by the inner end of said sleeves, and operating devices cooperative with the stem of said valve member for oilecting at timed intervals relative separation between saic sleeves so as to open said intermediate passage and establish comn'iunication between the cylinder and the inlet and exhaust passages.

3. In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a cylinder structure including a working cylinder and a perpendicularly disposed valve chamber one end of said cylinder, said cylinder structure including spaced inlet and exhaust passages communieating with opposite sides oi said chamber andwith an intermediate passage for establishing communicationbetween said working cylinder and said valve chamber, spaced relatively movable slidably mounted sleeves positioned within said chamber and provided with ports arranged to register with said inlet and eXhauts passages and with open inner ends communicating with said intermediate passage, a valve member including a head positioned transversely of said member and an ranged normally between the meeting ends or said s eeves, means operating upon said sleeves to maintain the inner ends thereof normally in seating engagement with the peripheral portion ofthe head of said valve member, said valve member being provided with a stem located in the fuel inlet side of said chamber, and an operating mechanism connected with said stem and serving at timed intervals to move said valve member and an associated sleeve away from the'coniplenieu tal sleeve. so L0 eijlect the opening of said intermediate passage so to permit of the flow oi gases between one or the other of said intake and exhaust passages and said working cylinder.

4;. In an internal combustion en ine, a cylinder structure including a working cylinder and a demountable head at one end of said cylinder, said head being formed to in clude a valve chamber extending transversely thereof, spaced inlet and exhaust passages communicating with opposite sides of said chamber and an intermediate passage e lisuing communication between the working cylinder and the center of said valve char her, a pair of sleeves mounted for longitu nal sliding movement toward and away fl-c each other within said chamber, flexible means acting upon said sleeves to force the latter inwardly oi said chamber toward each other, means for limiting the movement of said valvemember positioned trans-- versely of said chamber and having the peripheral edge thereof disp sod between the adjacent ends of said sleeves, and means for actuating said valve member, said valve menn ber upon actuation being adapted to move one or the other of said sleeves to effect the opening or": said intermediate passage and to thereby establish gas flow connnunication between'either sa d intake or exhaust passage and said working}; cylinder.

5. In an internal combustion engine. cylinder structure including a working cylinder, and a transversely extending valve chamber at one end of said cylinder there being inlet and exhaust passages formed in cylinder structure and communicating with opposite sides of id valve chamber and a passage disposed between said intake and em haust passages and establishing communic tion between slid working, cylinder and the center of said valve chamber, spring pressed sleeves slidably mounted in said valve chamber and having the adjacent ends thereof chamfered to provide valve seats, said sleeves being provided with ports registering with said intake and exhaust passages, a valve member including a circular head disposed transversely of said valve chamber and having the peripheral portion thereof engaged with the valve seat formed at th inner end of said sleeve, said valve memberincluding an operating stem arranged to project axially through the intake side of said chamber, said stem terminating exteriorly of the cylinder structure, and operating mechanism cooperative with the outer end of said stem to ei'l'ect at timed intervals reciprocation of said valve member, the reciprocation of said member serving to effect relative separation on the part of saidsleeve and to thereby open said intermediate pa sage so as to establish communication between said working cylinders and said inlet and exhaust passages.

6. In an internal combustion engine, in

combination, a cylinder structure, a movable move such valve head into contact and out of contact with said flexible valve seat.

, 7. In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a cylinder structure, a movable piston within said cylinder, a head covering one end of said cylinder and providing a clearance space, there being a valve chamber moi ed directly in such space or communieating at all times with it, a single male valve with head and stem, a flexible valve seat on both sides of said valve head mounted in such chamber, a separate fluid passageway leading from outside the valve chainb r and connecting each with one of the flexible valve seats and viiththe valve chamber and clearance space only when the valve head is out of Contact with the flexible valve seat. and operating means to actuate the valve head into contact and out of Contact With said flexible valve seats.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK H. LINDENBERG. 

